Should you care about Grid 2?

Codemasters has finally reopened the garage and lifted the covers off the sequel to what was arguably one of the best arcade racers of 2008 – “Race Driver: Grid”. But what’s under the covers; a revitalised classic or a rusty clunker? Well, a bit of both – and here’s why.

Gameplay

Codemasters have always balanced their vehicle handling dynamics with flair; infusing both simulator capabilities and arcade fun.

I found (at first) the handling to be a bit clumsy, but after a little practice, throwing a car around a bend with the tendency to over-steer drift, is rewarding and easy. On the downside there aren’t any driving aids to assist the casual racing driver, but compensation does come in the form of a rewind feature to correct those potential track disasters.

Another flaw for the more serious racer is the lack of in-car camera view which only leaves you with 3rd-person views and awful road and bumper cams.

Ultimately the biggest drawback for me was the lack of car modification in Career mode. Car customization only extends to giving your ride a new lick of paint or adding a variety of sponsor decals. The inability to tune your vehicle or add some extra ponies, leaves the Career Mode dull with no way of diversifying your racing experience apart from acquiring a new vehicle altogether.

Graphics and Events

Graphically, Grid 2 looks the part; the vast array of vehicles look pretty solid. Sadly where Grid 2 falls short visually is in the race-track department. The fictional race tracks look somewhat underwhelming. Frequently repeated race tracks also add to the overall monotonous racing experience.

Forgetting the lack of car customization and monotonous race-tracks, the racing is pure bare-knuckle fun. Grid 2 has array of exciting events and challenges. There’s no real story behind your career but rather the entire objective within Career Mode is to win over fans and as your fan base grows, so does your event roster.

Online

Building on the strong online fan base from the first iteration, online is where Grid 2 truly shines. Incorporating Codemasters Racenet, it’s easy to track and challenge your friends from previous games such as the Dirt Showdown and F1 2012 to Grid 2 events and defend your leader board standings.

Whilst missing in Career Mode, another welcome addition to your online experience is the car customization feature. Unfortunately, it’s not really in-depth and levelling up is only done in levels and not in the form of specific car parts.

Conclusion

A half-decade since Grid 1, the landscape in the racing scene has changed considerably, with predation from rivals rife with innovation.

Overall there’s a disconnection from the Career and Online modes with features not consistently present in both. Grid 2 sorely lacks anything new or exciting enough to challenge the current tier of racing games and leaves you with a rather mediocre racing experience.